X m ments



No. 622,!36. Patented Mar. 28, I899.

J. J. FINNEY.

AUTDMATIC FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE.

(Application fi1ed Dec. 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

I I Z22 flznedaw Ewe);

wwf/gwwf I f d inzzg/ 1 warns STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. FINNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO JOSEPH H. CHANDLER, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,136, dated March 28, 1899.

A Application filed December 27, 1897. Serial No. 663,483. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs J. FINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic, Fluid Pressure Brakes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to the quick-acting valve mechanism usually employed in connection with or adjacent to the triple valve for causing free or abnormal exhaustion of train-pipe pressure, whereby the passage between the brake-cylinder and the auxiliary reservoir is opened to its maximum capacity and the brakes instantly applied with full force for makingwhat is known as an emergency stop, and my present improvements have more specific reference to that species of this class of devices in which the pressure exhausted is led from the train-pipe directly into the brake-cylinder, and thus utilized in applying the brakes instead of being discharged into the atmosphere.

My invention has for its primary object to provide an improved and simple form of trainpipe discharge-valve mechanism whereby a sudden excessive reduction of pressure in the train-pipe will throw open the train-pipe valve or emergency exhaust-valve and admit the pressure from the train-pipe directly into the brake-cylinder, but prevent a reverse movement of the pressure, or, in other Words, prevent back pressure from the brake-cylinder or auxiliary from acting against and tending to unseat said emergency exhaust or train-pipe valve.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The said drawing is a vertical longitudinal section of a triple-valve mechanism equipped with my improvements.

In carrying out my invention I expose or subject the emergency exhaust-valve or trainpipe valve to train-pipe pressure on both sides, so that under normal conditions this valve will be balanced by such pressure, the difference in pressure occasioned in the trainpipe by service stops being compensated for by providing the valve with differential areas, the larger area being on the side next the train-pipe, or by subjecting it on such side to the action of a spring of sufficient tension to cause a pressure approximately equal to the reduction in the train-pipe produced by service application, the preponderance of pressure of course being preferably toward the valve-seat, so as to prevent leakage under normal conditions. The said valve-seat is formed in a diaphragm or web interposed at a point between the brake-cylinder passage and the train-pipe, and the said valve is located against this diaphragm or web on the side next the train-pipe,while on the opposite side I form what might also be termed a valve-seat, and against this I place a checkvalve to prevent back pressure from the brake-cylinder from acting directly against the first said valve or the valve which I have herein termed the emergency exhaust or train-pipe discharge valve. The pressure on one side of this train-pipe valve is direct train-pipe pressure, while that on the other side is indirect or stored train-pipe pressure, which normally exerts a tendency toward the train-pipe valve for forcing the latter from its seat as soon as the train-pipe pressure has been abnormally reduced.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents the train-pipe, from which leads a passage 2 to the triple valve 3, all of which may be of the usual or any suitable construction. Leading downwardly'from the train-pipe or from the passage 2 is another passage 4, formed in the lower end of a casting or casing 5, which, if desired, may be part of the triple-valve casing.

6 represents the brake-cylinder passage, which enters the casing 5 and besides having an upwardly-extending connection 7 with the triple valve has a downwardly-extending passage 8, which preferably spreads out at a low point in the casing 5 in. the form of a valvechamber 9, and formed in the casing 5, interiorly of the chamber 9 and passage leading downwardly from the brake-passage 6, is a blind chamber 10, which has an opening 11 extending downwardly to the chamber 9. The metal at the under side of this chamber 10 is also recessed around the opening 11, and fitted therein is the upper end or neck 12 of a f u nnel-shaped piece, whose conical portion 13 constitutes the diaphragm or web located between the brake-cylinder passage and trainpipe and forming the double valve-seat hereinbefore referred to. Around the lower edge of the conical portion 13 is formed a downwardly-extending flange 14, which is fitted snugly in a suitable recess in the bottom of the casing 5, the lower edge of the conical portion 13 being abutted against a complementary shoulder 15, formed by the convergin g bottom of the valve-chamber 9. Secured to the bottom of the casing 5 is a flanged removable cap 16, which abuts firmly against the lower edge of the flange 11 and holds the same snugly in its socket against the shoulder 15, a gasket or packing 17 being interposed between the cap 16 and flange 1% to prevent leakage.

The interior of the straight or neck portion 2 of the funnel portion constitutes a guide for a piston or abutment 18, formed on a conical valve 19, which fits against the under side of the web 13, and when against its seat, as shown in the drawing, closes a number of exhaust-passages 20, formed through the web 13, and seated against the opposite or upper side of this web 13, so as to cover the said passages 20, is a check-valve 21, which is of annular form, surrounding the neck 12, and is guided in its rising-and-falling movements by such neck. \Vhen the valve 19 is unseated or lowered, the pressure or air entering from the train-pipe through a port 22, formed in he flange 14, into the chamber 23, constituted below the valve 19 by the flange 14 and a depression in the cap 16, will rise through the passages 20, and after lifting or unseating the check-valve 21 will pass upwardly into the valve-chamber 9 and thence into the brake-v cylinder via the passage 6. This abnormal reduction in the train-pipe of course shifts the triple valve to its extreme or emergency position and throws open the maximum extent of the passage 7 to the full head of pressure in the auxiliary reservoir. This unseating of the valve 19 for effecting this abnormal reduction in' the train-pipe is occasioned by the pressure of the air stored in the chamber 10, which exerts a normal downward pressure against the piston or abutment 18 through the passage 11 and a coinciding passage 24, formed through the upper end of the neck 12. The pressure is admitted to the chamber 10 while the parts are in their normal position through a small by-pass passage 25, preferably formed directly through the piston 18 and valve 19, whereby the upper side of the piston 18that is,the side open to the chamber 10is continually exposed to indirect trainpipe pressure, while the lower side is exposed to direct train-pipe pressure through the port 22. lVhen a sudden excessive reduction takes place in the train-pipe, however, the air stored in the chamber 10 being unable to escape back into the chamber 23 with the same rapidity that the reduction takes place in such chamber, the pressure in the chamber 10 will force the valve 19 open, as before described.

On the lower side of the valve 19 is formed a stem 26, surrounded by a coil-spring 27, seated in a suitable cavity in a removable nut 28, screwed in the bottom of the chamber 23.

29 is a gasket or packing located at the upper end of the neck 2, where it abuts against the bottom of the chamber 10 to guard against leakage directly from such chamber into the brake-cylinder, or vice versa.

With a valve mechanism thus constructed it will be seen that by removing the cap 16 both valves 19 21, together with the funnelshaped diaphragm or web 12 13 14, may be taken out for repairing or inspecting the parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a train-pipe discharge-valve exposed to trainpipe pressure on both sides, the brake-cylinder, a web or diaphragm interposed between the brake-cylinder and train-pipe and having a passage therethrough and a valve-seat on both sides thereof, said train-pipe valve closing said passage on the train-pipe side of said web and a check-valve closing said passage on the brake-cylinder side of said web, said train-pipe discharge-valve and check-valve being removable together with said web, substantially as set forth,

2. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, a conical valve-seat interposed between said brake-cylinder and trainpipe, a conical valve fitting against said seat and closing communication between said brake-cylinder and train-pipe, a cheek-valve arranged on the opposite side of said valveseat and preventing back pressure from the brake-cylinder, a piston formed on said conical valve, a chamber opening against said piston and having communication with the train-pipe, and means for permitting exhaust from said chamber, substantially as set forth.

3. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, a web or diaphragm interposed between said brake-cylinder and train-- pipe and having a passage therethrough and being conical on one side and funnel-shaped on the other, atrain-pipe valve fitting against said funnel-shaped side and closing said passage, a check-valve fitted against and complementary in shape to the conical side of said diaphragm, and a chamber opening against the seating side of said conical valve and being in communication with the trainpipe pressure, substantially as set forth.

4. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, a diaphragm or web interposed between said brakecylinder and trainpipe and having a passage and a neck or cylindrical portion, a train-pipe valve exposed to train-pipe pressure on one side of said dia phragm or web and closing said passage therein, and an annular check-valve surrounding said neck or cylindrical portion and fitting against the other side of said web, substantially as set forth.

5. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, an annular web interposed between said brake-cylinder and train-pipe and havingthe centrally located neck 12, and the passages 20, a train-pipe discharge-valve fitting against one side of said diaphragm and closing said passages 20 and an annular check-valve surrounding said neck 12 and fitting against the other side of said web and also closing said passages 20, and a chamber communicating with train-pipe pressure and opening against said train-pipe Valve through said neck 12, substantially as set forth.

6. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, a casing having communication with said train-pipe and brake-cylinder and provided with a recess therein, the funnel-shaped diaphragm fitted removably in said recess and having a passage therethrough communicating with the train-pipe and brakecylinder, means for removably securing said funnel-shaped diaphragm in place, a trainpipe discharge-valve fitting against one side of said diaphragm and closing the passage therein, a check-valve fitting against the other side of said diaphragm and closing the passage therein, and a pressure-storing chamber opening against said train pipe valve through'said diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

7. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a

brake-cylinder, a casing having a communi-,

eating passage between said brake cylinder and train-pipe, a funnel-shaped diaphragm interposed in said passage and having an opening therethrough, said diaphragm being provided with a hollow neck and the conical portion 13, the combined conical train-pipe discharge-valve and piston 18 19 having the piston portion fitted within said hollow neck and the conical portion fitting against said portion 13 and closing the opening therein, a check-valve surrounding said neck and seating against said portion 13 over the opening therein, and a chamber having communication with train-pipe pressure and opening against the end of said piston through said neck, substantially as set forth.

8. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination the train-pipe, the brake-cylinder, a casing having a chamber formed therein, a funnel-shaped diaphragm located between said train-pipe and brake-cylinder and having the cylindrical neck 12 socketed in the bottom of said chamber and provided with a passage communicating with said chamber, and the conical portion 13 shouldered against said casing and having a passage therethrough, an annular check-valve surrounding said neck and closing said passage, a train-pipe discharge-valve fitting against the opposite side of said dia= phragm and also closing the passage therethrough, and means for admitting and exhausting pressure to and from said diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

9. A valve mechanism for fluid-pressure brakes, having in combination a train-pipe, a brake-cylinder, a casing having a communicating passage with said train-pipe and brakecylinder and being provided with the shoulder 15, a funnel-shaped diaphragm fitted in said casing against said shoulder 15 and having a passage therethrough, a pressure-stor ing chamber in the bottom of which the neck of said conical diaphragm is socketed, a check-valve fitted against one side of said diaphragm and closing the opposite valve, a train-pipe discharge-valve fitting against the opposite side of said diaphragm and closing the passage therethrough, and the cap 16 secured to said'casing and holding said dia* phragm in place, substantially as set forth.

JAMES J. FINNEY.

Witnesses:

EDNA B. JoHNsoN, F. A. HoPKINs. 

